1. Field of Invention
The invention is directed to an encoded sheet material and sheet processing apparatuses that use the encoded sheet material. More particularly, the invention relates to an encoded image recording medium and image recording apparatuses that use the encoded image recording media.
2. Description of Related Art
Many different types of image recording devices are available in the market place. Such image recording devices include photocopying machines, laser, ink jet and dot-matrix printers, facsimile machines and offset printing presses. Each of these image recording devices use one or more types of image recording media in a form of sheet material. The photocopying machine, for example, can form an image on either paper or a plastic transparency. Also, the photocopy machine can form an image on various sizes of the recording medium. For instance, the photocopying machine can use the recording medium having various sizes such as 8 xc2xdxe2x80x3xc3x9711xe2x80x3, 8xc2xdxe2x80x3xc3x9714xe2x80x3 and A4 sizes.
However, when a user desires to photocopy an image on a plastic transparency, for example, the user must load one or more plastic transparencies in an appropriate source tray of the photocopy machine. More sophisticated photocopying machines include multiple source trays for retaining a variety of recording media. The user must now remember which particular source tray contains the plastic transparency and must select that particular source tray on the photocopy machine in order to produce a plastic transparency with the desired image.
Even with the more sophisticated photocopy machines, little information regarding the type of recording media being used is provided. As suggested above, the user can select one of a variety of sizes of the recording media upon which an image is to be formed. Usually, sensors in each source tray provide size information that is displayed on a display positioned in the console of the photocopying machine. Less sophisticated photocopying machines have source trays that are sized to accommodate only one particular size of the recording media.
Thus, it is possible that the user can determine the size of the recording medium by viewing the console of the photocopying machine. Otherwise, in order for the user to ascertain any other information regarding the recording media, the user must ascertain this information on his/her own accord.
Furthermore, if the user desires to photocopy a document that includes a variety of types of recording media, the user must load each type of the recording media in respective ones of the multiple source trays. Once the selected number of photocopies for each type of the recording media is produced, the photocopied document is then collated to produce the desired document with the appropriate types of recording media. For example, the desired photocopied document might include a first page as a transparency with a company logo form thereon, a second page as a sheet of bond quality paper bearing the title of the document, subsequent pages as standard photocopy paper containing the body of the document and a last page as a black card stock. For many types of photocopying machines, each of the different types of recording media must be first photocopied and then collated and assembled into the desired photocopied document.
One embodiment of the invention is an encoded sheet material. The encoded sheet material includes a sheet of material that has a first surface, a second surface disposed opposite the first surface and an edge. The edge extends between the first and second surfaces and peripherally about the sheet of material. The edge has indicia that is arranged thereon to form a code that identifies at least one characteristic of the sheet material.
Another embodiment of the invention is a sheet processing apparatus. The sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet of material, a code reader device and a processor. The sheet of material has indicia arranged on it to form a code that identifies information related to the sheet of material. The code reader device is operative in conjunction with the encoded sheet of material for reading the code. The processor communicates with the code reader device and causes the sheet processing apparatus to process the sheet of material based upon the read code.
Another embodiment of the invention is an encoded image recording medium. The encoded image recording medium of the invention includes a sheet fabricated from an image recording material and has a first surface, a second surface which is disposed opposite the first surface and an edge that extends between the first and second surfaces and peripherally about the sheet. The edge has indicia arranged on it to form a code that identifies at least one characteristic of the sheet.
Another embodiment of the invention is an encoded image recording medium that includes a plurality of sheets as described above. The plurality of sheets are stacked in facial registration with one another.
Another embodiment of the invention is an image recording apparatus that forms an image on a selected type of image recording medium. The image recording apparatus includes a first type of image recording medium, a code reader device, an input device and a processor. The first type of image recording medium has indicia that is arranged on it to form a code that identifies the first type of image recording media. The code reader device is operative in conjunction with the encoded first type of image recording medium to read the indicia to identify the first type of image recording media. The input device provides an input signal representative of the selected type of the image recording medium. The processor is in communication with the code reader device and the input device and determines that the first type of image recording medium is identified as the selected type of image recording medium. The processor also causes the image recording apparatus to form the image on the first type of image recording medium upon determining that the first type of image recording medium is identified as the selected type of image recording medium.